Windy Minsmere!

After being forced to work Good Friday, I finally loaded up the scope and bins and trekked to RSPB Minsmere, in search of last years nemesis, stone curlew. Infuriatingly I would dip, AGAIN, but this time was made all the worse because people did actually report seeing them that morning! It wasn't all bad though, as willow warbler made its way to the year list (at last!) with great views from the trail before North Hide. On the scrape there were gulls, gulls, and more gulls! There was also a spotted redshank, and quite a few swallows. But with the wind getting up, we decided that rather than walk down to the beach, we amble through the woodland to bittern hide. Lots of butterfly action of the walk, with peacock, small tortoiseshell and small copper in abundance. There was also many blackcaps in the shrubbery calling. From the hide, we heard a booming bittern, but had no sighting, but the greylags and little grebes kept us entertained! Making our way back to the car park we stopped to look at the feeders, and were rewarded with our second year tick in the form of a marsh tit,  flitting back and forth.
Disappointed not to see the stone curlew, but they'll probably be on site for a while longer, at least until my next visit I hope!!!